Figure 3.

Functions of peptidoglycan hydrolases. Bacterial predators weaponize hydrolases to degrade the peptidoglycan cell wall of their hosts, leading to host cell lysis. But hydrolases are more than just lysins. Bacteria harness endogenous hydrolases to support fundamental cellular processes. Peptidoglycan hydrolases play important roles in bacterial cell growth, differentiation, and the separation of daughter cells that have divided. They also tailor the peptidoglycan cell wall, controlling the length of glycan strands and the degree of cross-linking. Bacteria that recycle components of the cell wall use hydrolases to break the peptidoglycan matrix into smaller pieces that are transported back into the cell.